Schuette Charges Royal Oak Police Officer for Possession, Distribution of Child Pornography
Contact: John Sellek or Joy Yearout 517-373-8060
May 10,
2012
LANSING - Michigan
Attorney General Bill Schuette today announced the Attorney General's Criminal
Division has charged a former Royal Oak Police Officer with 20 counts for the
alleged possession and distribution of child pornography. The charges result
from an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC).
The Michigan ICAC Task Force is part of a nationwide partnership of law
enforcement agencies with the mission of protecting children online and holding
offenders accountable. This particular case involved the Department of Attorney
General, the Michigan State Police and members of the Flint area ICAC task
force.
"Child pornography
victimizes our kids over and over again, and Michigan will not be a haven for
this terrible corruption of innocent children," said Schuette.
From September 2011
through January 2012, it is alleged former Royal Oak Police Officer Michael
Smith, 41, of Holly, downloaded and possessed child pornography on his personal
home computer. Smith allegedly distributed some pornographic images to other
users through a public Internet file-sharing network. Smith's employment was
terminated in January 2012.
The images were
discovered through an online investigation by the Flint Internet Crimes Against
Children Task Force (ICAC), which utilizes sophisticated technology to identify
alleged purveyors of child pornography in Michigan. The Flint area ICAC Task
Force members include: Flint Police Department, Grand Blanc Township Police
Department, Michigan State Police, U.S. Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Smith faces twenty charges, including:
-
Fifteen counts of
Possession of Child Sexually Abusive Materials, a felony punishable by
up to four years in prison;
-
Two counts of
Distribution of Child Sexually Abusive Materials, a felony punishable by
up to seven years in prison; and,
-
Three counts of Using a
Computer to Commit a Crime, a felony punishable by up to seven years in
prison based on the underlying felonies listed above.
Arrangements are being made for Smith to surrender himself to authorities today,
and he is expected to be arraigned in Holly's 52-2 District Court this
afternoon.
A
criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent
unless proven guilty.
-30-
